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Forensics

Walker’s forensic experts perform thorough site investigations, critical reviews, and advanced analyses to solve a wide variety of problems. Our broad spectrum of forensic services ranges from structural engineering to architecture and building envelope.

Whether a simple failure of a distinct system or a complex, interconnected problem, we can precisely identify the root cause or factors resulting in failure. Our education, training and experience in design, forensic skills, analysis and visualization allows us to succinctly and effectively communicate our findings.

Our experts stay up-to-date and contribute to the field by participating in professional committees, writing and updating codes, and publishing peer-reviewed technical articles.

Our large geographic presence with offices throughout the United States allows us to efficiently respond to local needs with specific knowledge from expert designers and practitioners.

Anurag Jain, PhD, PE

Vice President / Director – Forensics

WHAT WE DO

Forensic Investigations and Assessments

Design Errors and Omissions

Our thorough investigations establish causes of failures and defects. To investigate design errors and omissions, Walker’s forensic experts rely upon their knowledge and experience designing structures and their components as well as collaborating with our structural and architectural design professionals around the company.

Construction Defects

Walker Consultants can help you understand why and how things went wrong in a structure, whether during construction or after completion. Our subject-matter experts perform meticulous site investigations to document and identify defects. Then, we review design documents, specifications, applicable codes and standards to establish cause(s) of failures and defects.

Diagnostic Testing

Destructive and Non-Destructive

Walker has in-house diagnostic testing capabilities to verify sources of distress or structural integrity within a structure and facilitate a greater understanding of the structural system behavior under simulated conditions. Walker also provides short- to long-term behavior monitoring to ascertain ongoing problems. Diagnostic testing capabilities include:

  • Load testing to verify structural integrity
  • Air and water infiltrations testing of exterior wall elements
  • Crack width monitoring
  • Water testing for leakage at building components (plazas, roofs, expansion joints, etc.)
  • Measurements of structural movements and/or settlement

Water Damage

Our experts identify water damage that can cause harm in the short and long-term life of a structure. Water can infiltrate all aspects of a building enclosure from various sources and cause untold damage until identified. Walker investigates structures to reveal underlying conditions that can lead to further damage if left un-repaired. During assessments and investigations, our experts perform visual observations, testing consulting, and document the extent of damage.

Risk Analysis

Walker offers risk analysis services for every building type and occupancy. Risk can be thought of as a combination of exposure and vulnerability. Walker engineers use the most up-to-date hazard models and data to assess the exposure of a given building, based on its location and structural properties. The services we provide include probable maximum loss (PML) studies for natural and man-made hazards and life-cycle cost analysis for anticipating structural deterioration. In addition to quantifying risk, we help clients understand exposure, vulnerability, and the resulting risk as it applies to individual buildings and portfolios, so that they can make critical risk management decisions with the information.

Litigation Services

Walker provides attorneys, insurance companies, adjusters, building owners, and design firms with a wide range of litigation support. Our technical experts are skilled at providing testimony and litigation support in a variety of formats using the most effective tools.

Collapse/Failure Investigation

Damage Investigation

  • Earthquake
  • Extreme Wind
  • Flood and Storm Surge
  • Fire/Lightning
  • Impact/Explosion

Vibration Monitoring and Mitigation

Code Compliance and Peer Review

SPECIALIZED CAPABILITIES

Advanced Structural Analysis

Fire Analysis and Passive Fire Protection (PFP) Optimization

Walker performs fire integrity analysis of platforms, buildings, and tunnels. Our fire and cryogenic analysis services include:

  • Structural response under fire and cryogenic threats
  • Passive Fire Protection (PFP) optimization
  • Fire integrity analysis at global and component level
  • Fire integrity analysis to onshore and offshore facilities
  • Fire integrity analysis to liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities
  • Fire integrity analysis to nuclear facilities
  • Fire integrity analysis to pipe, pipe supports, vessels and tanks

Impact and Drop Object Analysis

Walker has evaluated the effects of impact to numerous metal buildings and concrete structures by aircraft, dropped objects, and projectiles generated during explosion. The finite element models of the structures and projectiles are created and evaluate the penetration velocities and the integrity of the structure. Our impact analysis services include:

  • Aircraft impact to nuclear structures and general infrastructure
  • Missile impact analysis
  • Dropped object analysis
  • Accidental and intentional vessel impacts
  • Ship impact analysis
  • Collision analysis
  • Fragment impact analysis (blind flanges, valves, debris, etc.)
  • Helicopter collision analysis
  • Evaluation and development of energy absorbent elements for impact loads
  • Soil behavior under impact loads

Modeling and Advanced Analysis

Walker provides high-quality advanced analysis services to solve complex problems related to materials and structures. Walker utilizes its advanced analysis capabilities to evaluate and design the structures, repair designs, optimization, and root cause analysis. Our modeling and simulation capabilities include:

  • Stress Analysis: ABAQUS, LS-DYNA, ANSYS, DIANA
  • Structural Analysis: SAP2000, STAAD Pro, USFOS
  • Modeling: SolidWorks, Femap, SpaceClaim

Seismic Analysis and Strengthening

Walker has assisted several clients in evaluating and strengthening buildings, nuclear structures, and non-building structures under seismic loads. Our seismic analysis services include:

  • Seismic assessment of structures
  • Seismic evaluation of onshore and offshore structures
  • Seismic evaluation of water and wastewater facilities including dams, spillways, tanks, vaults, pumps, and equipment
  • Evaluation of base isolation systems
  • Structural evaluations per California accidental release prevention (CalARP)
  • Seismic assessment of buried pipelines and structures
  • Seismic fault crossing analysis for pipelines
  • Performance-based evaluations and designs
  • Soil-structure interaction (SSI) in seismic assessments
  • Engineering inspections to find the seismic vulnerabilities
  • Seismic retrofit evaluations and designs

High Wind Analysis and Strengthening

Walker has assisted several clients in evaluating and strengthening buildings, nuclear structures, and non-building structures under extreme wind loads. Our wind analysis services include:

  • Structural assessments under wind loads
  • Vortex induced vibration (VIV) evaluation and mitigation
  • Wind assessments to solar panels
  • Evaluation of existing structures integrity for hurricanes or typhoons
  • Nonlinear wind response-history analysis
  • Wind load analysis to equipment, tanks, towers, and bridges

Blast Analysis, Design, and Retrofit

Walker has designed several new blast-resistant control rooms, operator shelters, multi-story structures and their supporting foundations throughout the world, both onshore and offshore. Our team has also performed the evaluation and retrofit design for several existing buildings/structures for blast loads.

Our explosion investigation and blast engineering services include:

  • Blast-resistant design of new structures
  • Retrofit and upgrades to existing structures under blast load
  • Blast Resistant Modular (BRM) buildings analysis and design
  • Blast wall analysis and design
  • Blast evaluations to equipment and pipes
  • Blast analysis and design of foundations and anchorage systems
  • Blast door analysis and design
  • Blast analysis and design to window frames and glazing
  • Blast analysis and design of TNT test cells